[DeTomaso] Thermostat warning #2

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Thu May 4 17:51:14 EDT 2017


All,

A couple of months ago I posted a warning about 351C thermostats, and parts 
store counter monkeys who didn't know the difference between them and the 
351W version.   I posted pictures and part numbers for the NAPA brand 
180-degree 351C version.

Well, here's a story.   That came about because I was sourcing one for a 
fellow in England.   I sent it to him, and he thought he had developed an 
engine/cooling problem, because the engine heated up to over 200 degrees while 
the radiator pipes remained cold, so he shut it down.   He later 'let it 
ride', and the thermostat opened and the radiator started cooling, but the 
temperature was 195-200 as measured on the front of the block.

He pulled the thermostat and tested it in a pot of water on the stove; it 
didn't start opening until 195 and was fully open at 200--not 180 as 
advertised.

So the other day I went and bought another one (from the same batch, as the 
store got two of them in when I only ordered one), and lo and behold, this 
one also failed to start opening until 195 degrees.   Back to the store it 
went.

I then went across the street and got one from O'Reilly, the Murray (that's 
their home brand) 3468.   (See attached).   I brought that one home and 
stovetop tested it, and it started opening at about 184 degrees, not far off 
from the advertised 180 degrees.   Now that one is in a box on the way to 
England.

The point is, not only do you have to make sure you are getting a proper 
351C thermostat, you should also test it before installation to make SURE it 
opens when it should!

Cheers!

Mike
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   All,
   A couple of months ago I posted a warning about 351C thermostats, and
   parts store counter monkeys who didn't know the difference between them
   and the 351W version.  I posted pictures and part numbers for the NAPA
   brand 180-degree 351C version.
   Well, here's a story.  That came about because I was sourcing one for a
   fellow in England.  I sent it to him, and he thought he had developed
   an engine/cooling problem, because the engine heated up to over 200
   degrees while the radiator pipes remained cold, so he shut it down.  He
   later 'let it ride', and the thermostat opened and the radiator started
   cooling, but the temperature was 195-200 as measured on the front of
   the block.
   He pulled the thermostat and tested it in a pot of water on the stove;
   it didn't start opening until 195 and was fully open at 200--not 180 as
   advertised.
   So the other day I went and bought another one (from the same batch, as
   the store got two of them in when I only ordered one), and lo and
   behold, this one also failed to start opening until 195 degrees.  Back
   to the store it went.
   I then went across the street and got one from O'Reilly, the Murray
   (that's their home brand) 3468.  (See attached).  I brought that one
   home and stovetop tested it, and it started opening at about 184
   degrees, not far off from the advertised 180 degrees.  Now that one is
   in a box on the way to England.
   The point is, not only do you have to make sure you are getting a
   proper 351C thermostat, you should also test it before installation to
   make SURE it opens when it should!
   Cheers!
   Mike
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